Adjusting mechanism for disk harrows.



Patented Sept. 3,1918.

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elevation of inner ends of FRANK-H; FRENCH, or PRESTON, IOWA.

ADJUSTING MECHANISM Foe DISK IiARRoWs.

terrace.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate litd se jt. 1918.,

To all whom it ma'j conccrn:

Be it known'that I, FRANK H FRENCH, citizen" of the United States of America, and 'resi'dent of Preston, Jackson county, Iowa haveinv'ented a ne'w and useful Ad justing Mechanism for Disk Ha -rows, of which the renewing isa specificationI The object of this invention is top'ro vide an improvedyi'elding pressure" adjust ing' mechanism particularly adapted for use in connection with the control of'tlie pivot-ed gangs of disk'h'arrows; v p

A furtlierobje'ct of this invention is to provide improved mechanism for manually a'd justing the elevation of inner ends of" pivotedgangs of disk barrows and at the same time permitting independent vertical movement of the inner end ofbneof'said gangs Withoi'it affecting ;the position or ad just'mentof the other ofsaid gang's.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved" yielding; pressuremechanism for permittingindependent vertical" movement of either gang of disks under uniisual strain. A

A further object of tliis invention is to provide improved yielding-pressure mecha nism forv permitting independent verticalf movement ofeith'er 'gang of'disk's under un usuaP strain; together"withmanually con trolled yielding pressure mechanism for simultaneously adjusting the altitude of the inner ends of botflgangs.

My invention consists inthe construction; arrangement and cdmbination ofjel'emems hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustratedby the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is asideel'evation: showing my" improved adjusting: mechanism as applied to a dislt' harrow, a fragmentary portion only of which is Shawn. Fig. 2]is a rear elevation of thesame, partly in" section: F 3'isa bottom planofthe'pivoted' yoke andhangf'barsL M i In the constructioirof the mechanism as shown the numerals 10, '1 1' designate the separate members of the ,pole bar of adisk harrow which; are spaced fapa rt'and' secured at' their rear endsto the central portloii of the frame (not shown) of the harrow and adapted to receive attachment at 'their for; Ward ends ofanysuitabledraftmeans. The disk' gangs (not shown)" are mounted end clination of said gangs simultaneously relative to the line or draft of the device; such n leans includingseii'lever bars 12, 1 3 and handl-evei's (not shown) for shifting said sefl'le'ver bars longitudinally to* adjust the positionoftheinner ends of the gangs, said set 1 lever bars also being subject to m anipu lationg as'hereii ia fter more fully explained, to=adjust the elevatioir of theinner ends of the gangs. My? present invention relates t o the latter named adjustm'ent and isan inip-rovelnent on the devices illustrated, described and claimed in my application for Letters Patent of the United States filed November 27, 1916', Serial Number138,519 to which application reference hereby is A swinging yoke is provided and is formed of arms 14', 15 mounted outside of and in sliding contact with the poleb'ars 10, 1 1, said arms being pivoted at their forward ends to said polebars by a*- bolt or piirl6, transversely mounted; The arms 1'4, 15'extend rearwardly alongside the pole bars 11), 11 and are rigidlvjointed at their forwardly and upwardly from said pivot.

Am-adjusting" leverf21 is fulcrunied at its lower end on the bolt orfrod' 1'6, and is provided' with detent'devices 22 for engaging a segment 23 carried by th'e polebars or one oft/hem, forholdingsaid lever in any posi tioniii-Which it may be placed manually, The opposite end of the arcuate guide rod 19 is loosely and pivot'ally connected to an inter'm'ediat'e portion of the adjusting lever 21, preferably assing slidingly through an eve 24 SWlVQlQCl lH the sideof said'le'ver, and having a stop member 25 on its end beyond saideye suchas a- Washer held' in place by a key 26. An expansive spring 27 is coiled onthe arcuate guide rod 19 between theears 1-8' and the eye 24 and forms a yielding'con nection bet-Ween" the" lever and the" SW-in ging yoke. Rear'ward movement of the adjusting lever 21 compresses the spring27 to a certain extent and exerts a downward pressure on the swinging yoke, and forward movement of said lever relieves such pressure and exerts a pull on the arcuate guide rod 19 through the eye'24 and washer 25, thus pulling upwardly on the rear or free end of the swinging yoke. A stud 28 is formed on and projects laterally from one or both of the pole bars 10, 11 and through one or more curved slots 29 in the rear portion of the yoke arms, to form a sliding connection between the pole bars and rear portion of the yoke.

At their rear end portions the yoke arms 14, 15 are formed with integral downward extensions 14, 15, substantially at right angles to their main portions. The extensions 14, 15 are connected by spaced crossbars 30, 31 beneath the pole bars 10, 11 and limiting upward movement of the rear end of the swinging yoke. Hanger arms 32, 33 are pivoted to opposite sides of the lower rear portion of the swingin yoke, are curved or offset downwardly lntermediate of their ends, each of said hanger arms eX- tending inwardly from its pivot and across the median line of the device and beyond the outer margins of the swinging yoke. The hanger arms 32, 33 are formed with holes 34, 35 respectively in their outer end portions, which holes loosely embrace intermediate portions of the set lever bars 12, 13 respectively. The hanger arms 32, 33 are -mounted between and each adjacent to one of the cross-bars 30, 31, and lugs 36, 37 are formed on the downward extensions 14, 15 and project downwardly between said hanger arms. I Bolts 38, 39, preferably having countersunk heads, are mounted between the members 3136 and .3237 respectively and form the pivots for the hanger arms 32, 33, thus providing a double bearing for each of said pivots as well as guides for oscillation of said hanger arms, said crossbars and lugs preferably extending downwardly a material distance from the bottoms of the extensions 14? and 15.

Lugs 40, 41 are formed on and project outwardly from rear end portions of the yoke arms 14, 15 respectively, and bolts 42, 43 are pivotally connected to outer end portions of the hanger arms 32, 33 respectively and pass upwardly and loosely through said lugs. Each bolt 42, 43 is formed with an eye on its lower end pivoted to and between upstanding ears 47 on the hanger arms, by means of bolts 48. The bolts 42, 43 preferably are threaded throughout major portions of their lengths, and nuts 49 are screwed thereon and located adjacent the lower ends, near the hanger arms 32, 33. Coil springs 44, 45 are mounted on the bolts 42, 43 respectively, between the nuts 49 and lugs 40 and 41, and nuts 46 are screwed on the ends of said bolts above said lugs to provide a connection between the parts and also as a means for alining the inner ends of the gangs. The nuts 49 serve as stops for the springs 44, 45 and also as a means for adjusting the tension of said springs by adjusting of said nuts on the bolts.

In practical use the lever 21 is manipulated to adjust the vertical position of the rear end of the swinging yoke relative to the pole bars 10, 11, as limited by the upper cross-bar 17 and lower cross-bars 30, 31. This causes a vertical adjustment of the hanger arms 32, 33 bodily and consequently of the set lever bars 12, 13 engaged by them, to the end of vertically adjusting the inner ends of the disk gangs as desired, as to accommodate the horizontal inclination of the gangs to the surface over which the machine is traveling. At any position of ad justment of the swinging yoke and members carried and engaged thereby, either of the hanger arms 32, 33 may rise independently of the other against the tension of the springs 44, 45, thus permitting an independent vertical movement of the gang controlled thereby as when striking an obstruction such as a stone, and without in any manner affecting the vertical position of the other gang as controlled through the lever. Such independent movement of either disk gang is occasioned by an upward movement. of the corresponding set lever bar 12 or 13 pushing upwardly on the corresponding hanger arm 32 or 33 and causing an oscillation of said hanger arm on its pivot, thereby compressing the corresponding spring 44 or 45 against the lug 40 or 41; and when such pressure is relieved the spring forces the hanger arm and with it the set lever bar back. to its normal position of adjustment.

I claim as my invention- 1. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a yoke pivoted at one end, means for manually adjusting the opposite end of said yoke, independent hanger arms pivoted on said yoke and formed with means for engaging members to be adjusted, and yielding pressure devices interposed between said hanger arms and the yoke.

2; A mechanism of the class described, comprisinga yoke pivoted at one end, means for manually adjusting the opposite end of said yoke, means for limiting oscillat ry movement of said yoke, independent hanger arms pivoted at one end of said yoke, said hanger arms being formed with means for engaging devices to be adjusted, and yielding pressure devices regulating vertical movement of the free end of said hanger arms.

3. mechanism of the class described, comprising a yoke pivoted at one end, means for manually adjusting the opposite end of said yoke, including a yielding pressure device between saidadjusting means and the yoke, independent hanger bars pivoted at one end on said yoke and formed with means for engaging members to be adjusted, and yieldingpressure devices regulating oscillatory movement of the free ends ofsaid hangers.

4. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a yoke pivoted at one end, means for manually adjusting the opposite end of said yoke, hanger bars pivoted at one end to said yoke and extending in opposite directions across the median line thereof, said hanger bars being formed at their free ends with means for engaging devices to be adjusted, and yielding pressure devices engaging the free ends of said hanger arms.

5. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a member pivoted at one end, means for manually adjusting the opposite end of said member, hanger bars pivoted at one end to said pivoted member and formed at their opposite ends with means for engaging devices to be adjusted, and adjustable yielding pressure devices engaging the free ends of said hanger arms.

6. A mechanism of the class described, comprising, in combination with members adapted for vertical adjustment, a member pivoted at one end, means for vertically adjusting the free ends of said pivoted member, hanger arms pivoted at one end to said pivoted member and formed at their free ends with means engaging said members, yielding pressure devices engaging the free ends of said hanger arms, and means for adjusting the tension of said pressure devices.

7. An adjusting mechanism, comprising, in combinationwith spaced members adapted for vertical adjustment, a member pivoted at one end, means for vertically adjusting the free end 'of said member, hanger arms pivotedon opposite sides of and crossing beneath said pivoted member, said banger arms embracing at their free ends said adjustable members, and yielding pres sure devices engaging the free ends of said hanger arms.

8. An adjusting mechanism, con'iprising, in combination with a fixed member and a pair of spaced vertically adjustable members therebeneath, a yoke pivoted at its forward end on said fixed member, means on said yoke adapted to engage said fixed member and limit oscillation of said yoke, hanger arms pivoted at one end to opposite sides of said yoke and embracing at their free ends said spaced adjustable members, lugs projecting laterally from upper rear portions of said yoke, and springs between said lugs and free ends of the hanger arms.

9. In a disk harrow having pole bars and set lever bars for controlling adjustment of separate disk gangs, a yoke pivoted to said separate disk gangs, a yoke pivoted to said pole bars, means for adjusting said pivoted yoke, and separate sprmgpressed members 7 pivoted on said yoke and permitting independent vertical movement of the respective set lever bars independently of the adjustn ment of said yoke.

11. In a disk harrow having a frame member and spaced set lever bars therebeneath for controlling adjustment of separate disk gangs, a swinging member carried by said frame member, a spring pressure de vice adjustable to control the position of said swinging member, and separate springpressed members pivoted on the lower side of said swinging member and embracing said set lever bars, whereby independent vertical movement of said set lever bars is permitted irrespective of the adjustment of said swinging member.

12. In a disk harrow having a frame member and spaced set lever bars therebeneath for controlling adjustment of sepaate disk gangs, a swinging member carried by said frame member, yielding means for manually adjusting the said swinging member, hanger arms separately pivoted on the lower side of said swinging member and loosely engaging the respective set lever bars at their free ends, and adjustable yielding pressure connections between free ends of said hanger arms and said swinging member.

13. In a disk harrow having longitudinally arranged set lever bars for controlling separate disk gangs, hanger arms each pivoted at one end and at their opposite ends embracing said set lever bars, bolts pivoted to the free end portions of said hanger arms, and adjustable suspending means for said bolts, whereby said set lever bars and the inner ends of the disk gangs may be brought into horizontal alinement.

14. In a disk harrow having set lever bars for controlling separate disk gangs, a frame member above said set lever bars, a member swingingly mounted on said frame member, separate hanger arms pivoted at one end to said swinging member and each engaging at its opposite end a set lever bar, and ad justable means for suspending the free ends of said hanger arms from said swinging member, whereby the disk gangs may be brought into horizontal alinement.

15. In a disk harrow having sot lever bars for controlling separate disk gangs and a frame member above said set lever bars, a member swingingly carried by said frame member, separate hanger arms pivoted at one end to said swinging member and projecting at their free ends beyond the margin thereof, free end portions of said hanger arms embracing the respective set lever bars, bolts pivoted to free ends of said hanger arms, said swinging member being formed sixth day March, 1917;

FRANK H. FRENCH.

Copies of this patent may be ohtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, IL C. i V 

